Giant Serpent Whirlpool!
Arcade racing games are a penny a piece, but arcade boat racing games? Hydro Thunder Hurricane fills a void in the XBLA Marketplace as it represents a rare type of racing game, one that actually involves boats and that actually does it well. The game is as simple as it sounds, but still manages to provide hours of fun and endless replayability.
As with standard arcade racing fare, the game puts you behind the wheel of various boats in different game modes including basic races, as well as events such as ringmaster, gauntlet and championship (all of which are as generic as they sound). However, Hydro Thunder Hurricane really shines because of its simply exciting racing mechanics. The game has standard racing controls with the addition of forward boosting, as well as boost jumps, which are the bread & butter of Hydro Thunder Hurricane. Races are all about controlling and managing your boost while drifting past your competition. Every race sequence feels incredibly fluid and connected. Once you get past the short learning curve, you’ll find yourself constantly collecting boost, and thus speeding throughout entire tracks without so much as a look behind you. This reliance on boost is supplemented by a drafting mechanic which gives players a significant speed boost when driving in the wake of another boat which helps keep everybody in the race, regardless of their distance from the lead. All of these things work well with the basic control of the game which is a very loose turning system that mimics how boats are constantly drifting on water. Drifting helps to separate the game from car racing as the feel of the controls is vastly different.
The tracks are a major reason why Hydro Thunder Hurricane is a blast to play. Simply put: the tracks are over-the-top and really define what arcade racing tracks should be like. You’ll blast by giant serpents in whirlpools, alligators, frozen wooly mammoths, UFOs and even Thor himself. At the same time, you will also encounter exploding barrels, falling trees and huge waves which all effect the water and thus the track itself. Because Hydro Thunder Hurricane is a boat racing game, water is everywhere and it effects everything. Conversely, the game also focuses a lot on movement through the air as there are plenty of ramps and jumps which when combined with boosting allow for players to control their boats while in the water and in the air. Along with cosmetic effects are the multitude of actual shortcuts in all of the tracks. These short-cuts range from hidden openings to switch-activated ramps and platforms which cut through windy areas or just provide an opportunity to grab a super boost power-up.
Even beyond the tracks, visual effects are plentiful and the graphics in general are above average. Things are always happening in the background and the tracks never seem empty or lifeless. The boats look great too as they all have uniquely colorful appearances with differences that aren’t just skin deep, as they all have different racing properties such as varied handling, top speed and air control. Each of the boats also comes with three different unlockable skins which is only a small subset of the unlockable items in Hydro Thunder Hurricane. The game runs on a money system in which credits are earned from completing events and placing in 1st, 2nd or 3rd. These credits are then passively used to unlock new tracks, events and boats. Other items are unlocked when specific conditions are met such as boat skins (win X event with Y boat), gamer pictures and avatar awards.
Hydro Thunder Hurricane is nothing more than an arcade racer, and it never claims to be anything else. Despite the lack of any real innovation amidst so many other racing games, it has a distinct personality and feel which are more than worth the price of admission. The actual racing feels just right and the game itself is endlessly replayable with loads of unlockable goodies which will keep you playing for a long time online, or off.